Domo's Top Ten Gripes: Strollers Used for Traffic Calming

[Domo]

Another thing that gets on my nerves...

Parents who, when faced with a cross roads, push their strollers out in front of them to stop oncoming traffic.

They must just love their kids.

 

[cabanafrau]

Whoa, I've never seen that. Incredible.

 

[EMom]

When visiting an Australian friend in Norway years ago, she explained that some of their traffic laws seemed quite strange to her and probably would to me as well. One was that pedestrians had the right of way over cars, at least in the downtown shopping area. The speed limit there was low, but could still be 20-30 mph. She warned me that mothers with babies in strollers/prams would just step off the sidewalk into traffic, without so much as glancing to see if a car was coming, because they seemed to be conditioned that cars would stop and not hit them. She and I had no such confidence and each of us would have waited for a clear path to cross.

Sure enough, I witnessed it time and again. They didn't even turn their heads to see if a car was approaching, but just stepped into the street, leading with the pram. And no one hit them. Now this was years ago and cell phone usage was not as common as it is now. They may not be as trusting that someone talking on a phone or texting will stop.

 

[MillauFr]

When visiting an Australian friend in Norway years ago, she explained that some of their traffic laws seemed quite strange to her and probably would to me as well. One was that pedestrians had the right of way over cars, at least in the downtown shopping area. The speed limit there was low, but could still be 20-30 mph. She warned me that mothers with babies in strollers/prams would just step off the sidewalk into traffic, without so much as glancing to see if a car was coming, because they seemed to be conditioned that cars would stop and not hit them. She and I had no such confidence and each of us would have waited for a clear path to cross.

Sure enough, I witnessed it time and again. They didn't even turn their heads to see if a car was approaching, but just stepped into the street, leading with the pram. And no one hit them. Now this was years ago and cell phone usage was not as common as it is now. They may not be as trusting that someone talking on a phone or texting will stop.

That is the law in the US as well. Vehicle are required to yield to pedestrian at all intersections. It doesn't matter if the crosswalks are marked or not. Pedestrians have the right of way.

 

[EMom]

That is the law in the US as well. Vehicle are required to yield to pedestrian at all intersections. It doesn't matter if the crosswalks are marked or not. Pedestrians have the right of way.

But I've never seen a mother pushing a stroller just step off willy nilly into traffic without looking first and assume all cars would stop....because the cars here wouldn't necessarily stop. And I'm not talking about intersections either. They stepped off EVERYWHERE in Norway. In the middle of a block with no crosswalk in sight. There seemed to be total confidence that cars would be on the lookout for them and would do whatever it took to stop before hitting them.

 

[cabanafrau]

But I've never seen a mother pushing a stroller just step off willy nilly into traffic without looking first and assume all cars would stop....because the cars here wouldn't necessarily stop. And I'm not talking about intersections either. They stepped off EVERYWHERE in Norway. In the middle of a block with no crosswalk in sight. There seemed to be total confidence that cars would be on the lookout for them and would do whatever it took to stop before hitting them.

First, I can't even wrap my brain around that mindset. Second, I'm making a mental note never to get behind the wheel if I ever find myself in Norway!

 

[EMom]

First, I can't even wrap my brain around that mindset. Second, I'm making a mental note never to get behind the wheel if I ever find myself in Norway!

I drove a few times there, but was VERY careful. The worst may have been what I call the double roundabout. It was a two lane roundabout. A one lane roundabout is enough for me to manage, but the two lane.....I can't even begin to think why it existed. I pictured myself getting stuck in the inner lane for hours, unable to escape, but it didn't happen.

 

[cabanafrau]

I drove a few times there, but was VERY careful. The worst may have been what I call the double roundabout. It was a two lane roundabout. A one lane roundabout is enough for me to manage, but the two lane.....I can't even begin to think why it existed. I pictured myself getting stuck in the inner lane for hours, unable to escape, but it didn't happen.

Parliament, Big Ben!

 

[SparklePixie]

I drove a few times there, but was VERY careful. The worst may have been what I call the double roundabout. It was a two lane roundabout. A one lane roundabout is enough for me to manage, but the two lane.....I can't even begin to think why it existed. I pictured myself getting stuck in the inner lane for hours, unable to escape, but it didn't happen.

We have 3-4 lane roundabouts here. They're chaos and a huge hazard.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

That is the law in the US as well. Vehicle are required to yield to pedestrian at all intersections. It doesn't matter if the crosswalks are marked or not. Pedestrians have the right of way.

Not wholly true. Pedestrian crossing is legislated at the state level and the laws are quite varied.